Using Tech Ii To Reprogram Radio Vin

chipjumper · January 15, 2008

I have a 2003 Sierra and I went to the dealer today to have them unlock a radio out of a 2003 S-10. It is the AM/FM with the 6 CD changer and RDS.

After about 30 minutes, the service rep came and asked me for the original VIN. He said that they tried to get it to take but it wouldn't. He says that he needs to original VIN that is matched to the radio to see if it will unlock but makes no guarantees. They didn't charge me anything for this. Oh, he also said that this radio is out of a 2001 and not a 2003. The guy I bought this off of insists that it came from his truck and works perfectly fine it it.

After reading some other threads, why do others have it so easy? Has anyone dealt with this before?

chipjumper · January 18, 2008

For searching purposes; here is an update:

I returned to the dealer this morning so they could have another shot at "marrying" my VIN to the one that the radio has. I provided them with the VIN of the last known vehicle the radio was working in. The service manager said that having that information helped them "calibrate" the radio alot easier. He said it took them several tries before they could get the radio to unlock but were successful.

tahoetarga · January 18, 2008

For searching purposes; here is an update:

I returned to the dealer this morning so they could have another shot at "marrying" my VIN to the one that the radio has. I provided them with the VIN of the last known vehicle the radio was working in. The service manager said that having that information helped them "calibrate" the radio alot easier. He said it took them several tries before they could get the radio to unlock but were successful.

This whole thing sounds weird....when I put a nav radio from an 06 Denali into my 05 Tahoe, the mechanic I found hooked up his Tech-2, got to the correct screen, started the VIN unlock function, and 15 seconds later he was done...there was no need for the originating vehicle VIN (and I didn't have it) or anything else!

chipjumper · January 18, 2008

Yeah my situation does seem odd; I actually watched the tech's attempt the first day and it just wouldn't run the VIN unlock. I think they had to "build" my truck as the exact model of what the radio came out of and then reset it. Now the backlighting doesn't work behind the buttons & knobs; I wonder if that is because this is a 2001 radio?

tahoetarga · January 24, 2008

Yeah my situation does seem odd; I actually watched the tech's attempt the first day and it just wouldn't run the VIN unlock. I think they had to "build" my truck as the exact model of what the radio came out of and then reset it. Now the backlighting doesn't work behind the buttons & knobs; I wonder if that is because this is a 2001 radio?

After doing my nav install, I sold the hu from my 05 Tahoe on ebay...the guy that bought it emailed me and asked for my VIN, saying the dealer he went to needed it to make the radio work in his truck. I told him I wasn't going to give it to him, and that he did not need it. I gave him the Tech II radio unlock instructions from another site, and lo and behold, the tech was able to unlock it for him!

Makes you wonder...

HotRodV6 · January 24, 2008

Yeah my situation does seem odd; I actually watched the tech's attempt the first day and it just wouldn't run the VIN unlock. I think they had to "build" my truck as the exact model of what the radio came out of and then reset it. Now the backlighting doesn't work behind the buttons & knobs; I wonder if that is because this is a 2001 radio?

After doing my nav install, I sold the hu from my 05 Tahoe on ebay...the guy that bought it emailed me and asked for my VIN, saying the dealer he went to needed it to make the radio work in his truck. I told him I wasn't going to give it to him, and that he did not need it. I gave him the Tech II radio unlock instructions from another site, and lo and behold, the tech was able to unlock it for him!

Makes you wonder...

would you mind sharing thes Tech2 radio unlock instructions again, i just bought a factory 6disk in dash changer from a 2007 TBSS to put in my 2003 Silverado, and i have a freind with a tech2.

Thanks